The knowledge of bird-life in Louisiana remained confined 

 to Le Page's limits until tliei»resentcenrury was well advaiu'ed, 

 for other historians either did not trouble themselves about it 

 at all, or mentioned it only in a very desultory manner. It 

 was not until a Wilson, and later still an Audubon ai)]>eared 

 on the scene, and devoted tlieir lives to the subject of orni- 

 thology, that we become more ac(iuainted with the actual 

 extent of this class of vertebrates in this country in general, 

 and Louisiana in particular. The nniterial collected in Louisi- 

 ana by these two famous workers was incorporated by them 

 in their comprehensive Avorks on the birds of North America. 

 The first — "American Ornithology," by Alexander Wilson, 

 appeared in 1814; the second — "Ornithological Biography," by 

 Audubon in 1838, which was subsequently enlarged in 1841 to ' 

 the now famous ''Birds of America." 



Almost contemi)oraneous with Audubon's work, appeared 

 "A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States," by 

 ]S^uttall, of which two editions were issued; one in 1832, and 

 the other in 1840. In 1872 appeared for the first time, "A 

 Key to North American Birds," by Dr. Elliot Coues, and in 

 1884 "The birds of North America," by Baird, Brewer and 

 Ridgway. All of tiiese works contain references to records 

 made in Louisiana, but no author api)eared to emulate Le 

 Page's example, except one, L. von Reitzenstein, who wrote 

 and i)ublislied during 1883 a number of articles under the title 

 of "Birds of Louisiana," in the Sunday editions of the New 

 Orleans Times-Democrat. As, however, these papers were 

 intended more for the amusement of the subscribers to that 

 newspaper, and the author permitted too many exaggerations 

 and too much fiction to enter into the various biographies, his 

 endeavors fell far short in value to be regarded iis a work of 

 scientific; character and merit. 



The literature on the ornithology of Louisiana is therefore 

 wanting, and we are standing, in this respect, far behind the 

 work accomplished in other states, as for instance: Long- 

 Island and New York, whose bird-faunas were published as 

 early as 1844 by Giraud and DeKay respectively. 



While Louisiana has, at times, possessed observers and 

 collectors, ardent and accomplished enough to pursue their 

 favorite study Avitli fair success, they have, unfortunately, 

 failed to publish the results of their work either in a satisfac- 

 tory and systematic manner, or altogether. 



The annexed catalogue of the birds of Louisiana is the re- 

 sult of personal observation and collecting during fully six- 



